My nutrition guide

[Trevor Catterall]

I have received many helpful pieces of advice on this website and this is my contribution in return. It is not my own work but it is a combination of information I have read and put into practice over the last 5 years.

Picture someone who does no exercise and eats a poor diet of processed food and takeaways day after day. Just by changing their diet to a healthy one they would become fitter. In the same vein an athlete who exercises but eats crap is limiting their physical potential.

If you improve your diet I believe you will become faster, stronger, and your endurance will improve. Why? Your body will recover faster. You will be able to push yourself harder as your body has the necessary proteins, carbohydrates, fibers, fats, minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals it needs to rebuild itself. These elements are the building block of every part of the human body.

It is clear from forum posts that people on this site spend much thought and effort on designing their training routines. Generally speaking though few westerners spend much attention to their diet.

The information below is here to help you organise a healthy diet into your lifestyles. It is straight-forward and easy to implement and is concerned purely with natural food sources.

PLEASE NOTE - I typed this up on Pages on a Mac using tables and diagrams and it is easier to follow so if you would like a copy sent to you let me know. It can be saved in microsoft word format so let me know whether you have a PC or MAC. Print it off and stick it on your fridge door to remind you.

This is not gymnastics specifc so I would really appreciate any constructive criticisms or feedback.

DAILY FOOD SERVINGS

1. Vegetables 5-7 servings

2. Good Oils 4 serving

3. Whole Grains (Low-Glycemic only) 3-5 servings

4. Legumes 2-3 servings

5. Fruit 3-4 servings

6. High-quality protein 2-3 servings (3-4 for athlete)

7. Dairy (optional) 1-2 servings

OPTIMAL FOOD

VEGETABLES: 5-7 servings

Should be main focus of any diet as they provide the widest range of nutrients. They are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and protein.

How to Cook: steaming, baking and quick stir-frying. Do NOT boil.

One serving:

1 cup of raw leafy vegetables (e.g. lettuce and spinach;

1/2 cup raw nonleafy, cooked vegetables or fresh vegetable juice.

LEAFY AND CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES (2-4 servings)

Alfalfa - Beet greens - Bok Choi - Broccoli - Brussel - sprouts - Cabbage - Cauliflower - Chinese cabbage Chard - Dandelion - Endive - Escarole - Kale - Lettuce - Mustard greens - Parsley - Spinach - Turnip greens Watercress

LOW-GLYCEMIC VEGETABLES (2-3 servings)

Artichoke - Asparagus - Bean sprouts - Bell peppers - Carrots - Courgette - Celery - Cucumber - Fennel Mushrooms - Okra - Onions - Peas - Radishes - Rhubarb - String beans - Summer squash - Tomatoes

STARCHY VEGETABLES (1-2 servings)

Beetroot - Butternut Squash - Parsnips - Potatoes - Pumpkins - Swedes - Sweet Potatoes

GOOD OILS AND FATS (4 servings)

Nuts and seeds, especially those providing the monounsaturated and medium-chain fatty acids, contain beneficial oils.

Use rapeseed, linseed, macadamia, or olive oil.

Do NOT cook with linseed oil. However macadamia and coconut oil are the best cooking oils because of there ability to stable at high temperatures. Rapeseed oil is usually best for baking.

AVOID using safflower, sunflower, soy and corn oil because they contain too much omega-6 fatty acid.

One serving:

1/4 cup of nuts and seeds

1 tablespoon of healthy oils.

WHOLE GRAINS (3-5 servings)

Choose whole grain products and brown rice over their processed counterparts.

One serving:

Bread: Whole-wheat (wholemeal), rye, other whole grain 1 Slice

Cereals 1/2 cup

Corn 1/2 cup

Corn on cob 1 small

Whole Grain pasta 1/2 cup

Whole grains (cooked):

Barley, millet, oats, quinoa, rice, spelt, wheat 1/2 cup

LEGUMES (beans) (2-3 servings)

Compared to grains they supply about the same number of total calories but usually provide two to four times as much protein and are are a richer source of fiber. Canned beans are recommended as they retain their fiber content and anti-cancer flavonoids.

One serving:

1/2 cup of beans.

FRUITS (3-4 servings)

Eat a rainbow of assortments over the course of a week.

One serving:

1 medium fruit

1/2 cup of small or cut-up fruit

125g of 100 percent juice

1/4 cup of dried fruit

HIGH QUALITY PROTEIN (3-4 servings)

Fish:

Choose smaller species of fish including wild salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines as smaller size and shorter life span translates into smaller accumulation of mercury, PCBs, and other environmental toxics.

Consume wild fish at least 3 times but no more than 6.

Red meat:

Limit intake of red meat (beef, veal, lamb)to no more than two servings per month and choose the leanest cuts. Also consider the alternatives to beef including venison, rabbit and ostrich as they tend to be lower in fat and have higher levels of omega-3.

Do NOT chargrill or cook the meat until well done as this increases the formation of cancer-causing compounds.

Alternatives:

Chicken and turkey are also very good sources of protein especially if you eat only the white meat and leave the skin. Eggs are also a good source of high quality protein and if the hens are fed linseed meal are also a good source of omega-3.

one serving:

1 serving is about the size of a deck of cards. Roughly 85-125 grams.

*Athletes should also consider adding a soy or whey protein smoothie to provide an additional 1 ounce (25-30g) of protein. Whey protein has the highest concentration of glutamine and branched-chain amino acids found in nature all of which are critical to cellular health, muscle growth, and protein synthesis.

DAIRY (1-2 servings) (optional)

Dairy produce can contain accumulations of agricultural chemicals and hormones so choose organic options wherever possible. Also consider low fat products.

Yogurt and acidophilus-fortified milk are better alternatives to milk due to their content of beneficial bacteria. Also try soy milk and the flavoured varieties.

One serving:

1 cup/250 ml of milk, yogurt or cottage cheese.

30 grams of cheese.

FINAL NOTES.

Recommendations are based on a 2000 calorie a day diet. If you need to increase your caloric intake increase the servings of vegetables, nuts and legumes or low glycemic carbohydrates when on an aerobic intensive training cycle.

I will be posting an article regarding the most important vitamins and minerals for athletes and in which food types they can be found. There will also be information regarding lesser known foods that are highly beneficial.

[Joshua Naterman]

As a specialist in performance nutrition, I don't even know where to begin with this!

So, the basic idea is good, you do want your diet to have a lot of fruit and vegetables of various colors. An athlete is going to need more than "2-3 servings of high quality protein", as well as a reasonable description of what that actually means. Serving size is going to vary according to the individual, but if you want to go all generic with it, 20-30 grams of protein is the normal amount of protein found in most balanced meals formulated for a 2000 calorie diet.

To find your protein requirements as an athlete, take total weight and multiply that by your bodyfat %. Take that number away from your bodyweight and you are left with your lean mass. Example: I am 225 lbs at 13%. So, 225*.13=29.25. 225-29.25=195.75 lbs of lean mass. Athletes are going to need around 1 gram of protein per lb of lean mass for recovery purposes. We just plain do a lot of damage and need a lot of raw material to repair it. You gymnasts who are around 150-ish, you're all going to be between 130-140 lbs of lean mass, so you're going to need 130-140 grams of protein. That is really, really easy to get.

Four eggs in the morning is around 25 grams of protein. Four ounces of any meat is between 25 and 30 grams of protein. To get an idea of how much that is, it's around half the size of your palm, same thickness as your palm. Not very much at all. That's 4 oz before cooking, btw. Three servings of that meat and the eggs, for example, or a protein shake, or whatever other source of protein, and you are set for the day. But wait, that's only 100-115 grams of protein! I thought I needed 130-140?! Yea yea. The rest is already in your diet, as a part of the vegetables, fruits, and grains you consume. And that's assuming you aren't drinking milk! So the protein is super, super easy.

Carbs are easy too. Low glycemic carbs most of the time, some sugar for flavor is fine, just not loads of it. Your body can always use a few grams of sugar. But your main focus is going to be eating anything that is very close to its natural state, with a few notable exceptions. Stay away from large helpings of white potatoes, white breads(unless it is whole grain) and enriched pastas. If it says enriched macaroni product, or if the first ingredient is enriched and/or bleached something or other, don't do it. Sweet potatoes and darn near every other vegetable in existence is fine though! Fruits are all fine, though only small helpings of grapes and pineapple on their own, as they don't have all that much fiber to slow down the sugar absorption. Yea. That's it. Follow those rules and you have almost endless varieties of carbs available.

For your after workout meal, those no-no carbs become yes mama, gimme more, GIMME MOOOOOORE! You want your first meal after your workout to consist of some meat and white, enriched, and/or bleached carbs. This is the only time it is ok to eat them in large quantities, with that meaning more than a third of your total carbs for the meal. They should make up almost all of your carbs for this post workout meal. Every other meal stick with the rules! As a general rule, you are going to want 20-30 grams of protein and 60-80 grams of carbs, maybe a little more. Beyond that you get too much insulin produced and run the risk of storing unnecessary body fat. Why? Insulin is what your body uses to facilitate storage of nutrients in cells. If you have so much sugar(digested carbs) in your blood that you can't use it all and you can't store it all in your active tissues, it's going to go into your fat cells. There's just nowhere else for it to go.

As for the oils, he's mostly right. Olive oil is to be preferred for cooking, and the meats and veggies will have their own fats that you need as well. Coconut oil, absolutely not. It's often hydrogenated and completely terrible for you. If you get the VIRGIN coconut oil, then it is in fact very good for you, but that is an absolutely VITAL distinction. It does hold up well at high heat, but so does peanut oil, and peanut oil is very, very good for you. In fact, it has a number of health benefits, including reducing risk of cardiovascular disease by 20% or more. So, olive oil, peanut oil, and VIRGIN coconut oil for sure. If you are eating a diet with meats in it, between what you use for cooking and what is already in the meats you will be getting the fats you need in the quantities you need them. Congratulations, you are now eating perfectly!

Finally, here are some really easy off-hand measurements, literally, for what you need in each meal. This is, by the way, assuming that you are eating every 3 hours or so. If you are not eating that frequently, you are going to need to eat a bit more in each meal that you DO eat. Eating every 3 hours keeps your body lean because it never feels like it needs to store food away for a rainy day. Ok. First, protein servings. This is for meat. The palm of your hand, from where the hand connects to the wrist all the way up to but NOT including the fingers. This size cut of meat, length width and thickness, is what each meal should have. Now for carbs. Make a fist. A lump the size of this fist is the approximate size for the amount of starchy carbs(spaghetti, potatoes(sweet or white), other calorie dense carb sources) you should have in your meal. For veggies, half a cup of some leafy or low-calorie veggie, at least. Most veggies have almost no calories, so you can literally fill up on them and not take in many calories at all! For example, an entire 12 oz can of spinach is not even 130 calories!!! Same with brocolli, a half cup of it isn't even 20 calories. Ridiculous! So, that's the easy way to make sure you are eating balanced meals. Cook the meats and veggies with a little olive oil to make sure you get enough.

While it is possible to break everything down to individual chemicals and their benefits, that's something that should be saved for the lab. The truth is that your body will get what it needs if you eat your fruits, veggies, grain products, and meats. Everything. A multivitamin will help, as the optimum performance levels of many vitamins and minerals are many times greater than what is needed for good health. If you guys really want it, I will get really detailed and list the performance daily intakes for all the various vitamins and minerals.

As for supplements, protein powders are nice but 1-2 servings a day is plenty. They're great for a fast breakfast, but they get digested quickly so you're going to need real food around 2 hours after you drink it if you don't want your body to catabolize its muscle. Glutamine powder helps with recovery as does creatine. If you're taking monohydrate, make sure you take it at least an hour apart from the glutamine. They bind to the same receptors in the blood, so if you have large concentrations of both ingested at the same time you will not get the full benefit from either one. The kre-alkalyn is a small enough amount of creatine to not get into competition with glutamine, unless you're taking huge doses of glutamine. Outside of that, there isn't anything legal that is going to give you any noticeable result.

For those who are wondering, pro-hormones are designer steroids. The end. They will say they are not, but they are. They are specifically designed to be converted into steroids in our systems. It's like saying that you didn't kill someone because they died in a car crash, when you know you've cut the brake lines. Sure, you didn't drive the car that killed them, but you set them up. So you killed them. Pro-hormones are not steroids in the bottle, but they become steroids in your body. Therefore they are steroids.

[Trevor Catterall]

Thanks for the information.

With regards to the protein intake the correct recommendation is 3-4 servings (it says that in the detailed part but I accidentally put 2-3 in the quick list at the top). The protein heading is some what misleading as it really refers to meat and fish only. The dairy heading takes into account additional protein, eggs and milk for example. There are also numerous examples of good protein sources in legumes and grains.

Amaranth for example, contains very high levels of protein; one cup contains 60% of the UK's recommended daily intake. Furthermore the protein in cooked amaranth seeds is 90 percent digestible. Also unlike other grains amaranth contains high levels of the essential amino acids lysine and methionine. Lysine is required in the body to maintain lean body mass, produce hormones and repair damaged tissue. Lysine is especially useful for helping people that are recovering from injury. Methionine is very important in improving the health of connective tissues and joints.

The macadamia oil is a nut oil (in the uk). Macadamia oil and coconut oil are recommended over olive oil because they contain lower levels of polyunsaturated oil 3% and 1% respectively compared to olive oil at 8%. Macadamia oil also contains four and a half times more vitamin E than olive oil.

Coconut oil is more stable for cooking. The saturated fats from coconut oils are different from that found in animal products as they are shorter in length. Coconut contains what is referred to as short and medium-chain triglycerides, while the fat in animal products are long-chain. The shorter length triglycerides are processed by the body differently and are preferentially sent to the liver to be burned as energy. There is also evidence that has shown that short and medium-chain triglycerides help to promote weight loss and may even assist in lowering cholesterol as well.

[Joshua Naterman]

Yes, coconut oil is better for cooking specifically at high temperatures than olive oil. Above around 400 degrees the fats in olive oil become crosslinked due to the heat and become less usable by the body. You're wrong about the polyunsaturated fats being a bad thing. We need them, they help raise HDL and lower LDL cholesteral, Monounsaturated fats primarily lower LDL with little effect on HDL. Peanut oil holds up extremely well under high heat as well and also, like virgin coconut oil, have powerful cardiovascular benefits.

I am well aware of what the various amino acids are for, and what you have written is incomplete, misleading, and partially inaccurate. A diet rich in natural foods provides enough of the various amino acids for the body to have more than enough of the various amino acids for them to be used for both their individual biological effects on the body as well as soft tissue repair and growth. It's not necessary to break down to individual amino acids and get into what each of them does and why they are important. That's nice to know, but it doesn't change the basics, and the basics are what everyone needs to know. We need to focus on them.

You're right, there are excellent sources of proteins in plants and legumes, but almost all of them are incomplete. Animal proteins contain all the amino acids we need as humans. Also, meat is cheaper than legumes So it's partly economical as well. We absorb the protein from meats better than we do from plants as well. Look at the bioavailability measurements for the various protein sources. I don't mean just the powdered stuff either, that's all the same as eggs. ALL that ridiculous talk about how much more bioavailable whey and whatever else is is pure marketing. We absorb about 95% of egg protein. So do the math. Out of 100 grams of egg protein we absorb 95. Are you really going to spend so much extra money to get 1 extra gram of protein absorbed per 20 gram serving? Meats get absorbed in the 80% range, pretty good but a definite step down from eggs. Vegetable proteins generally get absorbed at a much lower rate, because our bodies have to separate the proteins from the cell walls, and cell walls are very hard for us to digest. They're good, but from an economical standpoint as well as a complete protein standpoint, it is easier and cheaper to fulfill your protein requirements with a fair amount of meats. Obviously, you can do it with plant sources, it's just going to be a lot more expensive and a little more time consuming. I'm definitely in the meat camp, but it's ok to go vegan. I just can't imagine not having my delicious, bloody steak. Did you know that the "blood" in steak is actually liquified protein? The things little sisters find out in college. Sheesh. I used to feel so awesome when I ate the "bloody" steaks Ah well, at least I got more protein out of them.

It's good for out forum members to know about the amaranth's excellent quality protein. It is bad for them and potentially legally liable for you to have read your post. You included NO information about amaranth's actual levels of nutrients, OR it's effect in the body. If I were a person with arthritis and I started eating Amaranth, it would cause severe pain and depending on what kind of person I was I might sue you. And with the current legal climate, I might win.

For those of you excited about Amaranth, keep this in mind: their moderately high content of oxalic acid inhibits the absorption of calcium and zinc, and also means that they should be avoided or eaten in moderation by people with kidney disorders, gout, or rheumatoid arthritis. Reheating cooked amaranth greens is often discouraged, particularly for consumption by small children, as the nitrates in the leaves can be converted to nitrites, similarly to spinach. Nitrites react with amino acids, especially during cooking, to form carcinogens. It's nothing to worry about if you are just eating it, but be careful when cooking. Now, to be fair, people have been cooking with everything under the sun forever and have been fine, don't think you're going to get cancer just because you consume some carcinogens. A lot of that is genetic.

So if you plan on eating a lot of amaranth, make sure you have extra calcium and zinc a few hours before or after you eat, so that you can get what you need. Multivitamins work fine for this. Ideally this would be done with a meal not containing amaranth. Also, Amaranth is a leafy vegetable, so you are going to spend a LOT of money to get enough to make up a significant portion of a diet compared to almost all other protein sources, just like most other vegetable sources. It's just not cost effective. You could grow your own, but amaranth is an incredibly hard to get rid of weed. Do so with caution and only after educating yourself on how to contain it.

Here are the numbers on Amaranth: One cup(246 grams, over half a pound) of cooked grain has 45 grams of carbs, 9 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat, with 5 grams of fiber. One cup(132 grams, about a quarter pound) of drained, boiled leaves has 3 grams of protein, 5 grams of carbs, and 0 grams of fat. One cup(26 grams) of raw leaves has 1 gram of protein and one gram of carbs. The leaves, raw and cooked, are mildly anti-inflammatory and very filling. One cup(193g) of uncooked whole amaranth has 127 grams of carbs with 13 grams fiber and 3 grams sugar, 26 grams protein, 14 grams of fat with 3g saturated fat, and is STRONGLY INFLAMMATORY. If you have joint problems raw amaranth will make them worse.

I am not going to get started on you with your crap about fats and oils. I am starting to get angry, looking at how incomplete your information is. 70% of the fat in beef is Oleic acid. THAT IS THE SAME THING AS IN OLIVE OIL! You, sir, have no right to post here unless you are asking questions. As an example, Tri-tip, a bottom sirloin beef cut, has 5.3 grams of saturated fat, which is composed of myristic acid(THIS IS THE TRIGLICYRIDE IN COCONUT OIL), palmitic acid(which has slight negative or slight positive health effects depending on your intake of linoleic acid), and STEARIC ACID (which prevents cell oxidation and helps protect from cancer). It has 8.3 grams of monounsaturated fat, of which 8g is OLEIC ACID. OLIVE OIL. The things that make any one food great will be found in a complete and varied diet, so like I said, it is all about the basics. I could continue to tear apart your post sentence by sentence, but by now it is readily apparent to all who read this that you have little true knowledge and are more of a parrot than anything. My condolences to your bruised ego. Next time do some more complete research.

In my opinion it's ridiculous to have a discussion about proteins with you since you go and cite two source with incomplete information on both. When you recommend people eat something or use a certain oil for food, you better tell them what to look out for. Your post is potentially harmful to the people who read it and do not do their own research. Learn to be more professional. While you may have a complete and detailed knowledge of the body, what it requires nutritionally, and what the micro- and macro-nutrients do in the body, I doubt it. Your information on the few that you posted is not accurate or complete. You are clearly interested in acquiring some level of knowledge, but you are not an expert because you know of a plant with a high protein value or an oil that is good for you in certain forms. Posts like the one you put up and the information in the post you replied to mine with are examples of why the general population has so much trouble finding sound nutritional advice. Get a more complete knowledge of nutrition, it's effects on the body, and what the various micro- and macro-nutrients do, what they are used for, and the risks associated with them all. You appear to like being able to say things to sound smart and feel like you are an expert on nutrition, but you are showing how uninformed and uninterested in the health and well-being of others you really are. I will NOT allow harmful or false information to be disseminated to this forum without swift and immediate reprisal.

I want you to go back and look at something. NOWHERE IN YOUR POST DID YOU PUT HOW MANY GRAMS A SERVING IS. It does not get any more unprofessional or misinformative than that. You owe this forum an apology for not doing your research and for potentially causing harm to the members.

As an aside to those of you with small hands, it is possible that 4 oz of meat is in fact closer to the size of your palm. It is a good idea for you to get a 4 oz piece of meat and cook it so you know what it looks like before and after cooking. That will let you judge your portions accurately. The hand measurements I posted are a rough estimate that will put you in the ballpark for what you need. More precise and individual assessments are necessary if you are intending to compete professionally, or on a high level in general to ensure you are getting everything you need for optimal advancement of your physical capabilities.

Be mindful of your individual food allergies, and when trying something new, eat small portions until you know how you react to it.

Respectfully,

Joshua.

[Trevor Catterall]

Once again slizzardman thanks for the information.

I posted a general guide to help people as the information I have read on this site has been very useful for my training. The second post stated first and foremost that I was grateful for your advice. Additionally I very much appreciate the time you have spent in replying. I was not intending to discredit what you have suggested as I am new to the interesting world of nutrition and clearly have a lot to learn; hence my request for any constructive criticism or feedback. However I am interested in further information and therefore I need to respond to what you have posted.

The recommendation of coconut oil and macadamia oil because they contain lower levels of polyunsaturated oils than olive oil was misleading on re-reading. Polyunsaturates are generally beneficial in helping raise HDL and lowering cholesterol. However when combined with the higher monounsaturated levels contained with olive oil (and rapeseed oil) they produce lipid peroxides (rancid by-products created through oxidation).

Again I agree with your post regarding amino acids. Too much detail can be unnecessary and confusing but I was trying to highlight the benefits of the lesser known amaranth seed. I am well aware that protein sources from meat are more readily absorbed by the human body and erroneously assumed that this was common knowledge. I should not have detracted from the basics, the actual aim of my initial post. A simple helpful guide that had helped me when I got too bogged down in detail. I found it helped me eat more healthily by putting a copy on my fridge door. If it helped me I thought it would help others.

Amaranth is usually fine for those suffering from arthritis. Your post appears to suggest that it will definitely cause severe pain in arthritis sufferers but I strongly disagree with this claim. Apologies if I have mis-interpreted your message. I did neglect to mention that those who suffer from calcium oxalate-containing kidney stones should limit their consumption of this food. Also Amaranth seeds should always be cooked before being consumed as as they contain certain components that prevent the absorption of some nutrients by the human digestive system. It is also true that the absorption of amaranth leaves should be limited as the high level of oxalic acid begins to reduce the availability of calcium in humans. I apologise for not containing this information above as I was only discussing the benefits of amaranth seeds not the leaves. On reflection a mistake. Amaranth is very cheap in the UK as it grows very quickly and can be harvested after only 30 days. Give it a try.

Quote:

"I want you to go back and look at something. NOWHERE IN YOUR POST DID YOU PUT HOW MANY GRAMS A SERVING IS. It does not get any more unprofessional or misinformative than that. You owe this forum an apology for not doing your research and for potentially causing harm to the members."

This is clearly wrong. I mention gram weights frequently. I did not mention that a CUP is 225ml but again I assumed this was common knowledge and apologise if this has misled anyone. I want you to go back and look at something....Also be more patient and thorough before being accusatory and critical.

Quote:

"I am not going to get started on you with your crap about fats and oils. I am starting to get angry, looking at how incomplete your information is. 70% of the fat in beef is Oleic acid. THAT IS THE SAME THING AS IN OLIVE OIL! You, sir, have no right to post here unless you are asking questions. As an example, Tri-tip, a bottom sirloin beef cut, has 5.3 grams of saturated fat, which is composed of myristic acid(THIS IS THE TRIGLICYRIDE IN COCONUT OIL), palmitic acid(which has slight negative or slight positive health effects depending on your intake of linoleic acid), and STEARIC ACID (which prevents cell oxidation and helps protect from cancer). It has 8.3 grams of monounsaturated fat, of which 8g is OLEIC ACID. OLIVE OIL. The things that make any one food great will be found in a complete and varied diet, so like I said, it is all about the basics. I could continue to tear apart your post sentence by sentence, but by now it is readily apparent to all who read this that you have little true knowledge and are more of a parrot than anything. My condolences to your bruised ego. Next time do some more complete research."

This part reflects badly on you a real shame as the initial information was very informative. I am well aware of the fat oils contained with in other food sources. This is an attempt to come across all high and mighty something that you accused me of as follows:

quote:

"You appear to like being able to say things to sound smart and feel like you are an expert on nutrition, but you are showing how uninformed and uninterested in the health and well-being of others you really are."

I was merely stating the benefits of coconut oil over olive oil. However you statement that a varied diet and going back to basics are great. Hopefully my initial guideline was both basic and varied.

All in all I thank you for highlighting my deficiencies, a valuable lesson. I hope to rectify them in future posts.

[Joshua Naterman]

Yea, my temper got the best of me. on re-reading, you did post the servings. I honestly didn't see that Sorry, man.

For the amaranth, the leaves are actually really good for you, I was mostly pointing out that the whole plant cooked is highly inflammatory. The leaves themselves are actually a mild anti-inflammatory, cooked or raw, though the effect is stronger cooked. I bet it's tasty too, I'm a sucker for spinach.

Hmm. For some reason, amaranth flakes are listed as inflammatory. Most of us don't need to worry about it, but people with inflammatory conditions need to approach the amaranth grain with caution, see how it makes you feel. I'd imagine only people with serious arthritis would notice something like that, but who knows. If I had arthritis I'd eat a bunch to see I just got done reading a bunch of studies about the oil, and it's great. No word on inflammatory properties, but apparently it tastes good and has a positive effect on almost everything, including diabetes.

I was a more than a bit heated on the fats part, for sure. But, the claim that meats contain bad fats is nearly 100% false. Take a look at the newer studies on red meats. The old studies were mostly correlative studies, trying to draw conclusions through looking at what was in people's diets and what their rate of various chronic illnesses were, and then saying one caused the other. Newer studies are experimental research, showing that the actual compounds in meats are not bad at all, and in fact have a number of health benefits. People who have predispositions to high cholesterol certainly want to limit the red meats, especially if they're active and still have high cholesterol. Most people who have high cholesterol don't have a good resistance exercise program, which lowers bad and raises good cholesterol all by itself. Aerobic exercise helps, but doesn't cause the physiological changes that resistance training does, and amongst other things that includes significantly altering cholesterol levels. The one exception is the palmitic acid, of which there's I think 3 grams of so per serving of red meat. If you don't have 4-5% of your fats coming from linoleic acid, it can have slightly negative effects, though they are more significant in the laboratory than in real life. Meaning yes, they can be measured, but it's nothing that has a meaningful impact on your health. If you're getting that 4-5% of fats from linoleic acid, which can be gotten from flax oil or flax seeds cheaply and easily(I honestly don't know any other sources offhand, it's in a balanced diet anyhow), it's actually good for you. That, to me, is pretty interesting. But hey, that's chemistry. Edit: The amaranth oil is 33%(or so) linoleic acid

As it happens, I worked hard to become a reasonably knowledgeable specialist in performance nutrition, and I try to keep up with the latest health information. I actually started that because I didn't want to pay anyone else to tell me what to eat That gets expensive you know! And I just like knowing things. So I don't feel bad or high and mighty saying that I'm an expert, I worked hard and paid well to learn what I know and continue to read and examine advances in nutrition. And, when I hear about anything new, I make sure to go read up on everything I can about it. As it happens, a neighbor of mine was the nutritionist for a number of the Atlanta Falcons, a professional football team, and as an exchange for helping her move some furniture she gave me some free appointments for nutritional counseling, which I obviously took. I mean really, who turns down someone like that for free information about the field they have become respected in? I had a lot of specific questions regarding what I had learned and how I was structuring my diet, and it turned out that I had more knowledge than she did. I know that sounds like bragging, but I can't bring myself to feel bad about having done very comprehensive studying. She actually thought it was pretty funny, and really enjoyed the time we spent. I don't know everything, and I do have my prejudices, so I do put myself out there but I don't mind saying I am wrong when I am, and it happens.

I appreciate you bringing up the [virgin] coconut oil. Does it make stuff taste like coconut? I could see that being good with meats if it does Peanut oil definitely has it's own flavor that it brings, great for pan-frying chicken especially. Not that, you know, that's the healthiest thing, but at least it's fried in healthy oil!

Also, make sure to point out that each meal should have a serving of grains AND a serving of Legumes, with a few meals also having a serving of fruit. I know it should be common sense, but you'd be surprised.

For a guy new to nutrition, you have a good understanding of the basics. If you want to learn more, check out the ISSA. Their programs are really, really good and rival the information people pay for at 4 year schools with graduate programs. They are all written by Ph.Ds with the focus being on getting you all the information without all of the filler. It is a lot of material, and reasonably time-consuming to complete but it won't ruin your days, and for the price the information is worth it. Also, being ISSA certified puts you at the top of the heap. You'll have the most complete and most current information out there, and fantastic resources for staying current! http://www.issaonline.com

[Blairbob]

Make sure to be nice, here, peeps.

Mmm bloody red steak...liquid protein. Makes me wonder why I bother to cook steak at all?

I'd have to disagree with the 2-4 servings of red meat per month. There are plenty of people and cultures out there who eat grassfed non factory farmed meat and lots of it. Really, if memory serves, they only finish cattle on grains and feed in the last 3 months.

I personally don't like the idea of taking oil shots to get fat blocks. Bleh. Weird Zoners. Gulps of flax seed oil used to be horrible. Honestly, I rarely even use any oil as most meat has fat in it that cooks it or I may slice in some pieces of butter. The only time I use oil is for making cakes, but I rarely fry anything ( though I should...gotta love chicken fried steak and chicken katsu ).

[Trevor Catterall]

Coconut Oil of a high quality is odorless and tasteless. It is a white semisolid below 24 degrees Celsius (75-76 degrees Fahrenheit) and becomes a creamy-colored oil at higher temperatures.

This is my motive for study. It's a cliche - you are what you eat. Fuel yourself correctly and your body will become stronger and healthier. I was assaulted and suffered severe traumatic brain injuries followed by four days of complete memory loss, epileptic fits, blood clots and a fractured skull. My cognitive functions deteriorated and my memory went down the pan and I could not remember words like chair, I couldn't even remember where I kept our cereal bowls even though they had been in the same place for 6 years. I can't smell either. I hope that decent nutrition will heal my damaged frontal lobe.

I consider peoples health the single most importance factor and hope to aid people achieve their goals.

BEEF

I'm in total agreement with Blairbob (not for the first time).

Commercially raised animals are generally given processed grains (bioengineered corn as an example) sprayed with pesticides and antibiotics to prevent infection and promote growth. These animals convert a great deal of the starch in these grains into saturated fat, and the ingested pesticides are stored in their fat tissue, flesh and milk. This results in grain fed animals creating a less healthy, dominant omega-6 fat profile. Another concern is that grain feed can contain meat by-products such as ground bone and tendons.

Grass fed, free range, organic cattle is the way forward people. Generally speaking grass fed animals have a healthier fatty acid profile, which translates into a less inflammatory effect on the people who eat them versus grain-fed animals. Lean beef is an excellent source of protein, providing as much as 64 percent of the daily value of protein in just 125 grams. As mentioned by slizzardman lean organic beef is also an excellent source of vitamin B12 and a good source of vitamin B6 (both required for proper cellular function). If you are looking for a healthy, everyday meat, I would recommend the less fatty back leg portion.

A few points of caution. Beef contains small amounts of oxalates (to a lesser degree than amaranth leaves. see above) and individuals prone to calcium oxalate kidney stones should limit their consumption of beef. Also be aware that there is considerable evidence linking beef consumption to cancer although most research tends not to indicate the quality of beef that is being eaten by cancer sufferers more the amount that is being eaten. There is also evidence to suggest that the way beef is cooked determines whether beef is carcinogenic - in short, try to avoid well done meats.

Cheers for the link Slizzardman I'm going to look into it but I'm not sure that they can offer the service to someone in England.

[Joshua Naterman]

It is true, the generic beef at the grocery stores is not like the beef from the old days. That's why we pay so much for prime beef It's too bad we don't have amaranth fed cattle! Yea, the grassfed beef is the way to go for health reasons, certainly, but the omega 6 fatty acids aren't the end of the world. yea, the sirloin cuts and london broil are the least fatty. And the cheapest! Hell yea! Two bucks a pound for some sexy red beef? I'm in! Also, newer research vindicates beef from the cancer links. Also, I haven't looked in a while, but there used to be a website that you could order grassfed beef for 4 bucks a pound, which is a total steal. I'm going to go see if that's still around. http://www.texasgrassfedbeef.com for those of us in the US. Their prices aren't bad, if you buy bulk, like a quarter cow, you get the meat for 6 bucks a pound. When you think about all the specialty cuts that come with that, that's an amazing price! It's still 600 bucks but that includes shipping in the continental US! Not bad, not bad. Now I just need a stand-alone freezer!

Each half pound serving of grain-fed beef only has 448mg of omega six, so it's not like a serving a day is going to drastically alter your diet. You want something like a 6-1 ration of omega 3 to six, so if you eat your half pound of beef and then take two 1g fish oil capsules you're good to go! At least for that meal. That's the biggest problem in nutrition to me, no one goes and actually looks at the numbers to see how MUCH of an issue the various levels of nutrients present. In this case, it is extremely minor and can be mitigated for like 10 cents a day or something, and that's assuming you are paying 5 bucks for 100 1g fish oil capsules, which is overpriced for that product.

Your nutrition will definitely contribute to your recovery, that's a terrible thing to have happen to you. Have hope, plenty of studies have shown that brain tissue does, in fact regenerate, and the brain does, in fact sometimes undergo radical "rewiring" in the event of serious trauma. So it IS possible for you to recover fully. I have no clue what the percentages are on that, not my area of expertise, but if you work on your memory every day and eat good, healthy foods and keep a strong, positive attitude that things are going to be cool, it's just a matter of time, time doesn't matter, you're going to be good to go!

http://www.whitfieldfarmorganics.co.uk Is a site for you in the UK, I don't know of others but I am sure they are out there.

[Guest cccp21]

It is true, the generic beef at the grocery stores is not like the beef from the old days. That's why we pay so much for prime beef It's too bad we don't have amaranth fed cattle! Yea, the grassfed beef is the way to go for health reasons, certainly, but the omega 6 fatty acids aren't the end of the world. yea, the sirloin cuts and london broil are the least fatty. And the cheapest! Hell yea! Two bucks a pound for some sexy red beef? I'm in! Also, newer research vindicates beef from the cancer links. Also, I haven't looked in a while, but there used to be a website that you could order grassfed beef for 4 bucks a pound, which is a total steal. I'm going to go see if that's still around. http://www.texasgrassfedbeef.com for those of us in the US. Their prices aren't bad, if you buy bulk, like a quarter cow, you get the meat for 6 bucks a pound. When you think about all the specialty cuts that come with that, that's an amazing price! It's still 600 bucks but that includes shipping in the continental US! Not bad, not bad. Now I just need a stand-alone freezer!

Each half pound serving of grain-fed beef only has 448mg of omega six, so it's not like a serving a day is going to drastically alter your diet. You want something like a 6-1 ration of omega 3 to six, so if you eat your half pound of beef and then take two 1g fish oil capsules you're good to go! At least for that meal. That's the biggest problem in nutrition to me, no one goes and actually looks at the numbers to see how MUCH of an issue the various levels of nutrients present. In this case, it is extremely minor and can be mitigated for like 10 cents a day or something, and that's assuming you are paying 5 bucks for 100 1g fish oil capsules, which is overpriced for that product.

Your nutrition will definitely contribute to your recovery, that's a terrible thing to have happen to you. Have hope, plenty of studies have shown that brain tissue does, in fact regenerate, and the brain does, in fact sometimes undergo radical "rewiring" in the event of serious trauma. So it IS possible for you to recover fully. I have no clue what the percentages are on that, not my area of expertise, but if you work on your memory every day and eat good, healthy foods and keep a strong, positive attitude that things are going to be cool, it's just a matter of time, time doesn't matter, you're going to be good to go!

http://www.whitfieldfarmorganics.co.uk Is a site for you in the UK, I don't know of others but I am sure they are out there.

************ May i suggest a product called "Brain Octane" from Superiornutraceuticals. It contains piracetam along with some

co-factors that enhance communication between the two hemispheres of the brain,enhances memory,improves articulation etc.

Brandon Green

[Guest cccp21]

Yea, my temper got the best of me. on re-reading, you did post the servings. I honestly didn't see that Sorry, man.

For the amaranth, the leaves are actually really good for you, I was mostly pointing out that the whole plant cooked is highly inflammatory. The leaves themselves are actually a mild anti-inflammatory, cooked or raw, though the effect is stronger cooked. I bet it's tasty too, I'm a sucker for spinach.

Hmm. For some reason, amaranth flakes are listed as inflammatory. Most of us don't need to worry about it, but people with inflammatory conditions need to approach the amaranth grain with caution, see how it makes you feel. I'd imagine only people with serious arthritis would notice something like that, but who knows. If I had arthritis I'd eat a bunch to see I just got done reading a bunch of studies about the oil, and it's great. No word on inflammatory properties, but apparently it tastes good and has a positive effect on almost everything, including diabetes.

I was a more than a bit heated on the fats part, for sure. But, the claim that meats contain bad fats is nearly 100% false. Take a look at the newer studies on red meats. The old studies were mostly correlative studies, trying to draw conclusions through looking at what was in people's diets and what their rate of various chronic illnesses were, and then saying one caused the other. Newer studies are experimental research, showing that the actual compounds in meats are not bad at all, and in fact have a number of health benefits. People who have predispositions to high cholesterol certainly want to limit the red meats, especially if they're active and still have high cholesterol. Most people who have high cholesterol don't have a good resistance exercise program, which lowers bad and raises good cholesterol all by itself. Aerobic exercise helps, but doesn't cause the physiological changes that resistance training does, and amongst other things that includes significantly altering cholesterol levels. The one exception is the palmitic acid, of which there's I think 3 grams of so per serving of red meat. If you don't have 4-5% of your fats coming from linoleic acid, it can have slightly negative effects, though they are more significant in the laboratory than in real life. Meaning yes, they can be measured, but it's nothing that has a meaningful impact on your health. If you're getting that 4-5% of fats from linoleic acid, which can be gotten from flax oil or flax seeds cheaply and easily(I honestly don't know any other sources offhand, it's in a balanced diet anyhow), it's actually good for you. That, to me, is pretty interesting. But hey, that's chemistry. Edit: The amaranth oil is 33%(or so) linoleic acid

As it happens, I worked hard to become a reasonably knowledgeable specialist in performance nutrition, and I try to keep up with the latest health information. I actually started that because I didn't want to pay anyone else to tell me what to eat That gets expensive you know! And I just like knowing things. So I don't feel bad or high and mighty saying that I'm an expert, I worked hard and paid well to learn what I know and continue to read and examine advances in nutrition. And, when I hear about anything new, I make sure to go read up on everything I can about it. As it happens, a neighbor of mine was the nutritionist for a number of the Atlanta Falcons, a professional football team, and as an exchange for helping her move some furniture she gave me some free appointments for nutritional counseling, which I obviously took. I mean really, who turns down someone like that for free information about the field they have become respected in? I had a lot of specific questions regarding what I had learned and how I was structuring my diet, and it turned out that I had more knowledge than she did. I know that sounds like bragging, but I can't bring myself to feel bad about having done very comprehensive studying. She actually thought it was pretty funny, and really enjoyed the time we spent. I don't know everything, and I do have my prejudices, so I do put myself out there but I don't mind saying I am wrong when I am, and it happens.

I appreciate you bringing up the [virgin] coconut oil. Does it make stuff taste like coconut? I could see that being good with meats if it does Peanut oil definitely has it's own flavor that it brings, great for pan-frying chicken especially. Not that, you know, that's the healthiest thing, but at least it's fried in healthy oil!

Also, make sure to point out that each meal should have a serving of grains AND a serving of Legumes, with a few meals also having a serving of fruit. I know it should be common sense, but you'd be surprised.

For a guy new to nutrition, you have a good understanding of the basics. If you want to learn more, check out the ISSA. Their programs are really, really good and rival the information people pay for at 4 year schools with graduate programs. They are all written by Ph.Ds with the focus being on getting you all the information without all of the filler. It is a lot of material, and reasonably time-consuming to complete but it won't ruin your days, and for the price the information is worth it. Also, being ISSA certified puts you at the top of the heap. You'll have the most complete and most current information out there, and fantastic resources for staying current! http://www.issaonline.com

*********** According to Poliquin grains and grasses are only for Asians!

Brandon Green

[Joshua Naterman]

Also, you are what you eat isn't really a cliche It's quite literally the truth. The fats that are present in your body are the fats that your body will construct your cells out of. Give it lots of hydrogenated fats and unhealthy saturated fats, and it will make cells that are less flexible and more vulnurable to chronic disease. Give your body healthy saturated fats and unsaturated fats, and it will make flexible, healthier cells that are more resistant to disease. Your cell membranes are two layers of lipids held together by proteins, so you literally are what you eat.